Lipid profile and antioxidant enzymes in coconut oil consumers.

In this study, we compared the lipid profile and antioxidant enzymes of normal and diabetic subjects consuming coconut oil and sunflower oil. 70 normal healthy persons and 70 patients with diabetes were studied. Each group was further subdivided into two subgroups of 35 subjects each, consuming coconut oil and sunflower oil respectively as cooking medium. Samples of blood were analyzed for serum total cholesterol, triacylglycerols, and cholesterol in lipoprotein fractions. Total glutathione and glutathione peroxidase were measured in erythrocytes and superoxide dismutase in serum. Though lipid profile parameters and oxidative stress were high in diabetic subjects compared to controls, no pronounced changes for these parameters were observed between the subgroups (coconut oil vs. sunflower oil).